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Pistons Notes: Coaching Search, Ollie, Murphy, Draft Picks

May 5th, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pistons could hire a new head coach soon, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, who reports in his latest mailbag that the top candidates for the job are set to meet with owner Tom Gores next week in Los Angeles.

Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee, former Connecticut and Overtime Elite coach Kevin Ollie, and Pelicans assistant Jarron Collins are considered the leading candidates. However, Edwards believes that Ollie, a former NBA player, is the frontrunner for the position.

Here’s more on the Pistons:

  • DeJanai Raska says she was sexually harassed and assaulted by former assistant GM Rob Murphy over a period of several months, she tells Tresa Baldas of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). There are too many details to list here, but Raska reported her allegations to the Pistons last fall. The team put Murphy on leave, but didn’t announce that he was fired until after Raska sued both the organization and Murphy. “I grew up in the city really looking up to the Pistons, the Bad Boys … and to be treated this way is heartbreaking,” Raska said.
  • Who are the top five prospects Detroit should be considering with its first-round pick, which can land no lower than fifth overall? Edwards ranks those players in order for The Athletic. Obviously Victor Wembanyama is No. 1, but Brandon Miller edges out Scoot Henderson for No. 2. Rounding out Edwards’ top five are Henderson, Houston forward Jarace Walker and Arkansas guard Anthony Black.
  • On a related topic, if the pick does land fifth in the lottery — and there’s a 47.9% chance that it will — who should the Pistons select? Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link) makes the case for Villanova wing Cam Whitmore, arguing that his physical tools and flashes of shooting make him the best choice at that spot.
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Draft Notes: Mitchell, Shannon, Early Entrants, Mock Draft

April 12th, 2023 at 7:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Texas freshman Dillon Mitchell will test the NBA draft waters while maintaining his college eligibility. The 19-year-old small forward made the announcement this evening on his Twitter page.

Mitchell is ranked 34th on ESPN’s list of the best available players, but he was considered the No. 4 recruit in the nation coming into college, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Mitchell played just 17 minutes per game in his first season with the Longhorns, averaging 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds. Although he shot 64% from the field, Givony notes that Mitchell’s usage rate would be the lowest of any player drafted over the last 30 years.

Mitchell will have to rely on next month’s draft combine and workouts with individual teams to show that he’s ready for the NBA. Givony points out that his unique combination of physical skills could still make him attractive as a draft prospect.

There’s more on this year’s draft:

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Draft Notes: Murrell, Dingle, Cross, Davison, Mocks, Edey

April 5th, 2023 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Ole Miss shooting guard Matthew Murrell is declaring for the 2023 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining NCAA eligibility, he announced on Instagram.

Murrell is coming off a junior season in which he averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 30 games (34.4 MPG). His shooting percentages dropped off badly in 2022/23, as he made just 36.5% of his attempts from the field and 30.4% of his threes. However, he was a more reliable marksman as a sophomore (.427 FG%, .386 3PT%) and he bumped his free throw percentage to 84.3% as a junior.

Murrell currently ranks as the No. 76 prospect on ESPN’s big board, making him a borderline candidate to be drafted.

Here are a few more draft-related updates:

  • Penn junior guard Jordan Dingle is testing the draft waters while maintaining his college eligibility, sources tell Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Dingle’s 23.4 points per game ranked second in the nation, behind only Antoine Davis of Detroit Mercy (28.2 PPG).
  • Tulane senior forward Kevin Cross is declaring for the draft while preserving his NCAA eligibility, he announced on Instagram. A strong passer, Cross averaged 4.2 assists per game last season to go along with 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds.
  • Carlin Davison, a 6’6″ forward who played for the Taranaki Airs in New Zealand this past season, is entering the draft as an international early entrant, tweets Jeff Goodman of Stadium. Davison, who is just 19, will have the ability to withdraw his name from the draft pool anytime between now and June 12, if he so chooses.
  • In the wake of the NCAA’s championship game this week, both Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated their 2023 mock drafts. Notably, O’Connor has Alabama’s Brandon Miller (No. 3) and Ausar Thompson of Overtime Elite (No. 5) coming off his board earlier than Wasserman does (Nos. 4 and 8, respectively). Conversely, Wasserman is higher on UCF’s Taylor Hendricks, putting him at No. 6, compared to No. 10 for O’Connor.
  • Purdue’s Zach Edey has won a series of national player of the year awards, including being named the Naismith’s men’s player of the year. But how will the 7’4″ big man’s game translate to the NBA? Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca explores that question, noting that most draft experts don’t project Edey as a first-round pick.
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Alabama’s Brandon Miller Entering 2023 NBA Draft

March 30th, 2023 at 2:08pm CST by Rory Maher

Alabama forward Brandon Miller will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2023 NBA draft, he tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Miller is one of the draft’s top prospects, currently ranked third on ESPN’s big board, but he could go as high as second overall behind French phenom Victor Wembanyama, Wojnarowski adds.

As a freshman for the Crimson Tide in 2022/23, Miller averaged 18.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG and 0.9 BPG on .430/.384/.859 shooting in 37 games (32.6 MPG). Alabama was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the 20-year-old struggled mightily during the Tide’s three-game run due to a groin strain, with the team ultimately losing to San Diego State in the Sweet 16.

The 20-year-old was widely considered the top prospect in college basketball, earning numerous accolades, including SEC Player and Freshman of the Year and second-team All-America.

A 6’9″ wing, Miller has drawn comparisons to Paul George due to his length, guard-like skills, shot-making and versatility.

However, Miller was also tied to a murder case a couple months ago. He allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip in January, according to police testimony.

Miller’s former Alabama teammate Darius Miles and another man, Michael Davis, were arrested and charged with capital murder. While the gun belonged to Miles, Miller reportedly brought it to the scene at his ex-teammate’s request. Miller’s car, which was struck by two bullets during the shooting, was allegedly one of two vehicles blocking the victim’s car.

Miller was not charged with a crime and his coach called him a “fully cooperating witness” who didn’t break any laws or school policies, which is why he was allowed to keep playing.

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Draft Notes: Miller, Henderson, Black, Early Entrants

March 16th, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Alabama freshman Brandon Miller has become a legitimate contender to be taken with the second pick in this year’s draft, writes Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. French center Victor Wembanyama remains a clear favorite as the top choice, but in conversations with NBA executives and scouts, Vecenie finds that teams are considering Miller alongside G League guard Scoot Henderson, who had been ranked second in most mock drafts since the season began.

Vecenie still has Henderson second on his list, calling him “an elite-level competitor with elite athleticism” and comparing him to Anthony Edwards and Derrick Rose. But Miller has steadily worked his way up NBA draft boards throughout the season while leading the Crimson Tide to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.

The 6’9″ wing has drawn comparisons to Paul George while averaging 19.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He’s also shooting 45% from the field and 40% from three-point range and is viewed as a solid defender. Miller has improved his ability to create shots off the dribble and has shown an ability to score through contact that scouts had originally doubted. There are obvious questions surrounding the role he played in a January shooting, but Vecenie doesn’t believe that will affect his draft status as long as he’s not charged in the case.

There’s more on the NBA draft:

  • Miller gave brief answers during the SEC Tournament when he was asked about his involvement in the incident, but Alabama coach Nate Oats talked it more in depth with Kyle Tucker of The Athletic. “Based on everything we know, Brandon didn’t break any laws, he didn’t violate any school policy and he’s a fully cooperating witness,” Oats said. “Based on all that, we made the decision to let him keep playing.”
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic also touches on the Miller vs. Henderson debate, suggesting that Miller may be the best perimeter player in college basketball. Hollinger, who attended the SEC Tournament last week, identifies Arkansas as a team to watch in the NCAA Tournament, stating that the Razorbacks may have five players who will get drafted. Nick Smith Jr. and Anthony Black are considered potential lottery picks, and Hollinger sees Black as a candidate for the No. 4 pick, even though he hasn’t shot well in his freshman season.
  • Belmont senior guard Ben Sheppard will give up his final year of eligibility and enter the draft, tweets Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Sheppard was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and an All-Defensive team choice this year.
  • Real Madrid’s Eli Ndiaye, an 18-year-old center out of Senegal, has also declared for the draft, according to Givony (Twitter link).
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Scoot Henderson To Be Shut Down For Rest Of Season

March 14th, 2023 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

The G League Ignite are shutting down star prospect Scoot Henderson for the remainder of the NBAGL season, a league official tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). The Ignite have five games left in the regular season, which concludes on March 25.

As Givony explains, the Ignite – who have an 11-16 record and rank 10th in the G League’s Western Conference – aren’t expected to reach the top six and make the playoffs. Additionally, the league feels Henderson has shown enough this season to prove his bona fides as one of the top picks in this year’s draft.

Henderson averaged 21.2 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.7 SPG on .485/.471/.706 shooting in six games (28.5 MPG) during the G League’s Showcase Cup in the fall. Since the NBAGL’s regular season began, he has put up 16.5 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 5.3 RPG in 19 appearances (30.7 MPG), though his shooting numbers (.429/.275/.764) dipped quite a bit.

For much of the 2022/23 season, Henderson has been viewed as a long shot to go No. 1 in the 2023 draft – due to Victor Wembanyama‘s presence at the top of this year’s class – but a virtual lock to be the second player off the board. However, his grip on that No. 2 may have loosened in recent weeks due to his up-and-down performance during the G League’s regular season.

John Hollinger of The Athletic noted on Monday that Henderson’s inconsistent play has “started to raise some eyebrows” at the same time that possible No. 3 pick Brandon Miller has been thriving on the court in Alabama. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter video link) conveyed a similar sentiment in a recent TV appearance, suggesting that teams believe Miller is “firmly in the mix” at No. 2.

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And-Ones: I. Thomas, Noah, Spencer, NCAA Prospects

March 13th, 2023 at 1:28pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas signed 10-day hardship deals with the Mavericks and Lakers last season before catching on with the Hornets to finish 2021/22. He has yet to play in ’22/23, but has been “staying ready” and hasn’t given up hope of finding a new team.

“I’ve been talking to two teams the last couple of weeks,” Thomas told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “Hopefully they make a decision by the end of this week or early next week. But I’ve been in contact with teams monthly.

“So that’s the thing with me, like, I know it’s close; I just have to find the team that really wants me to be on board and me to help in any situation possible. My agency and my representatives are just trying to figure it out. Obviously there’s a lot of overseas interest, but that’s just not even on my mind right now, so I don’t even want to dip into that. My ultimate goal is to have an NBA jersey. That’s all I want.”

Thomas knows he might not have a significant role going forward like he did earlier in his career, but he still believes he can contribute on and off the court, according to Bulpett.

“I think at this point in my career, that will probably be the role of being a vet presence, teaching guys how to be professional — and also knowing that if my name is ever called, I’m ready to produce,” Thomas said. “I’m only 34 years old, but I haven’t played much the last three years really, so I haven’t had no real pounding on my body. The surgery in 2020 fixed the hip problem, and my body’s really 31, 32; I’ve got years to be able to play at a high level. But that’s not what I’m chasing; I want to be able to play in the NBA and go out on my own. That’s really what I want. I want to be able to play two or three more years, and if my name is called, I know I can produce at a high level. I know that for a fact.”

The two-time All-Star also tells Bulpett he has interest in a coaching or front office role in the future once his playing days are done.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah recently spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about retiring from the NBA, his Cameroonian roots, and being an investor and ambassador of the Basketball Africa League, among other topics. “I’m very proud,” Noah said. “I’m very proud in being an investor in NBA Africa. I feel like this is opening up doors that I didn’t know were possible while I was playing. And I think that the future is very, very bright because Africa is not only shining right now, but they are [one of the] the youngest growing youth populations in the world. So. if you look at the numbers themselves, this league is just going to get better and better. It’s just so obvious.”
  • Felton Spencer, who played 12 NBA seasons from 1990-2002, has passed away at age 55, the University of Louisville announced (via Twitter). A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Spencer was the No. 6 overall pick in the 1990 draft, holding career averages of 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 640 games with Minnesota, Utah, Orlando, Golden State, San Antonio and New York. Our condolences go out to his friends and family.
  • Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report ranks the top 25 2023 NBA draft prospects competing in the NCAA tournament. At the top of the list is Alabama’s Brandon Miller, while Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh, who is known as a defensive difference-maker, rounds out the top 25.
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Eastern Notes: Pistons Draft, Love, Raptors, Brunson

March 7th, 2023 at 7:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons shouldn’t hesitate to take guard Scoot Henderson if they get the No. 2 pick in the draft, The Athletic’s NBA draft analyst Sam Vecenie told Pistons beat reporter James Edwards III. In Vecenie’s view, Henderson is too talented to pass on, even though the franchise has drafted guards in the last three lotteries.

While Vecenie believes Alabama’s Brandon Miller is solidly the third-best player in the draft class, he says the Pistons shouldn’t reach beyond Henderson or trade the pick since Henderson is the type of competitor who can lift his team’s level of play on a nightly basis.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Heat play Kevin Love‘s former team on Wednesday but it’s uncertain whether the veteran power forward will suit up. He’s listed as questionable against Cleveland due to a rib contusion, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets. Love missed the Heat’s two-point win over Atlanta on Monday.
  • The Raptors lost to the Western Conference-leading Nuggets on Monday but coach Nick Nurse was encouraged by what he saw, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. “We play like that and we can beat anybody, doesn’t matter if it’s home or away or where they are in the standings, etc,” Nurse said. “Probably outplayed ’em, to be honest and think we executed very, very well.” Toronto lost 118-113 in a game marred by a controversial late ejection of Scottie Barnes.
  • Jalen Brunson was sidelined for the second straight game on Tuesday with a sore left foot, Tim Bomtemps of ESPN tweets. However, it appears the Knicks point guard could be back soon. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Brunson is feeling better, and will be going on the four-game road trip that begins Thursday in Sacramento.
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And-Ones: Dorsey, Muhammad, B. Miller, Tall Ball

February 25th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Texas Legends – the Mavericks‘ G League affiliate – have parted ways with guard Tyler Dorsey, the team announced today (via Twitter). Dorsey had been averaging 18.9 points per game with a .370 3PT% in 12 regular season appearances (30.7 MPG) for the Legends.

It’s possible Dorsey recognized that no NBA call-up opportunities were imminent and requested his release — as a Eurohoops story notes, March 1 is the deadline for EuroLeague teams to add new players to their rosters, and Dorsey reportedly drew interest from multiple clubs in the EuroLeague when he was waived by Dallas earlier this season.

Meanwhile, the Texas Legends announced on Friday that they’ve reacquired veteran forward Justin Jackson. Jackson, who played for the Legends last season, spent most of this season in Boston, but was traded to Oklahoma City at this month’s trade deadline and was subsequently waived by the Thunder.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Free agent wing Shabazz Muhammad has agreed to a “significant” deal with Beirut Club in Lebanon, his agency Edge Sports International announced (via Twitter). The former first-round pick signed a G League contract earlier this season as he attempted to make his way back to the NBA, but will continue his career overseas for now.
  • After police testimony earlier this week revealed that star Alabama prospect Brandon Miller allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip last month, Miller’s attorney issued a statement attempting to clarify the 20-year-old’s role (or lack thereof) in the incident (link via Jeff Goodman of Stadium). As Jeff Borzello of ESPN writes, the school announced in a statement on Wednesday that Miller would continue to play for the Crimson Tide, since he’s “not considered a suspect in this case, only a cooperative witness.” Several hours later, Miller scored a career-high 41 points in an overtime win over South Carolina.
  • David Aldridge of The Athletic explores the resurgence of “Tall Ball” across the NBA, pointing to frontcourt pairings in Cleveland (Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley), Milwaukee (Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo), and Washington (Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford) as some examples of the trend.
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Draft Notes: 2024 Class, Bronny, B. Miller, Wembanyama

February 22nd, 2023 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA evaluators have been underwhelmed by what they’ve seen so far from the top prospects among this year’s high school seniors, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link), who says the 2024 draft class doesn’t necessarily feature any players who are viewed as “sure-fire, elite” NBA prospects.

As Givony writes, 2023’s draft class is headed by two clear-cut top prospects in Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, and other recent drafts have also had a fairly well-defined top tier. However, that’s not the case so far for the 2024 class, since many of the best players in the group haven’t developed as rapidly as NBA teams have hoped.

Givony’s first 2024 mock draft has 6’10” Lithuanian guard Matas Buzelis coming off the board first, followed by Cody Williams, the brother of 2022 Thunder lottery pick Jalen Williams. Buzelis will play for the G League Ignite next season and should get the opportunity to take the reins for the Ignite with Henderson leaving for the NBA; Williams has committed to playing his college ball at Colorado.

In a somewhat surprising development, Givony has Bronny James, the son of Lakers star LeBron James, at No. 10 overall in his first ’24 mock. According to Givony, Bronny has emerged as perhaps the best perimeter defender of this year’s high school class, making major strides during the last 12-to-18 months while many of his peers have “flatlined.”

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

  • Alabama freshman Brandon Miller, widely considered to be a top-five prospect in the 2023 NBA draft class, allegedly brought the gun that was used in the killing of a woman on the Tuscaloosa strip last month, according to police testimony (link via Carol Robinson of AL.com). Miller’s former Alabama teammate Darius Miles and another man, Michael Davis, were arrested and charged with capital murder. While the gun belonged to Miles, Miller reportedly brought it to the scene at his ex-teammate’s request. Miller’s car, which was struck by two bullets during the shooting, was allegedly one of two vehicles blocking the victim’s car.
  • Miller has not faced any charges related to the shooting and Alabama head coach Nate Oats said the freshman forward is “not in any trouble,” per Mike Rodak of AL.com. However, it’s safe to assume that any NBA team that had been considering using a lottery pick on Miller in June will have to take a long, hard look at his alleged involvement in this incident.
  • ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Jonathan Givony and SI.com’s Jeremy Woo have shared excellent, in-depth profiles on super-prospect Victor Wembanyama, who is considered a virtual lock to be the first prospect drafted four months from today.
  • While Wembanyama has rightly received most of the hype, NBA teams have their eyes on several other rising prospects who possess a tantalizing mix of size and skill, as Seth Davis writes for The Athletic. “We’ve heard this term ‘small ball’ for a while, but what NBA teams were really trying to do was play ‘skill ball,'” broadcaster Stan Van Gundy said to Davis. “But if you can get size to go along with that skill, that’s going to make you even better. … I’m not saying they’re all going to be 7-3, but seeing guys 6-10 or bigger play like Victor are not going to be all that rare. Those guys are definitely the future of the game.”
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